KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Feb 2009: The Bar Council today called on the Perak government to abide by Sultan Azlan Shah’s decision for Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and the state executive council to step down.

Its president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan said she was convinced that the Perak Sultan was guided by the law and therefore, his decision should not be questioned.

“The question now is whether the Menteri Besar has the majority in the state assembly to govern the state,” she said.

She was speaking to reporters after the presentation of the Certificate in Legal Practice to recipients by the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, at the Putra World Trade Centre today.

Mohammad Nizar has refused to step down as Menteri Besar as ordered by Sultan Azlan Shah as he believes that he still legally holds the post under the Perak state constitution.

This afternoon, the office of the Perak Sultan issued a media statement announcing that Sultan Azlan Shah had ordered Mohammad Nizar to quit his post after he was satisfied that the Menteri Besar no longer had the confidence of the majority of the state assembly.

This was following the decision of three Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons to leave their parties and declare support for Barisan Nasional.

On the validity of the resignation letters purportedly sent by the two Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons – Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu – Ambiga said the matter could be brought to court.

Based on the court’s decision, she added, the Election Commission could decide whether to call for by-elections in their state constituencies of Behrang and Changkat Jering. — Bernama